Phase changer switch



May 9, 1950 E. EL WADE 2,506,753

PHASE CHANGER SWITCH Filed March 8, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.

Edwin E. Wade JNVENTOR.

Anmq:

May 9, 1950 E. E. WADE 2,506,753

PHASE CHANGER SWITCH Filed March 8, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lillsa Edwin E. Wade INVENTOR.

Patented May 9, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PHASE CHANGER SWITCH Edwin E. Wade, Charlottesville, Va.

Application March 8, 1948, Serial No. 13,549

This invention relates to electrical equipment, and more particularly to a phase changer, by means of which it is possible to transpose the phases of an electrical circuit before they reach the load.

The primary object of the invention is to facilitate the changing of the phases of a threehase electrical circuit.

The above and other objects may be attained by employing this invention which embodies among its features a pivot shaft, a pair of arcuate contacts supported in concentric spaced relation on opposite sides of the pivot shaft adjacent one end thereof, a pair of spaced contacts supported on each side of the pivot shaft adjacent the end remote from the arcuate contacts, a rocker supported midway of its ends on the pivot shaft to rock between the contacts adjacent opposite ends of the pivot shaft, a conductor bar at each end of the rocker, one end of each conductor bar continuously contacting one of the arcuate contacts, and the opposite end of each conductor bar being adapted selectively to contact one contact of each pair of contacts.

Other features include means manually to alter the position of the rocker and thereby selectively establish the flow of electrical current through the device.

In the drawings,

Figure l is a top plan view of a phase changer embodying the features of this invention,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along the line 22 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a perspective view of one of the arcuate contacts,

Figure 6 is a perspective view of one of the resilient spaced contacts, and

Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating this phase changer in a conventional electrical circuit.

Referring to the drawings in detail, this phase changer embodies a base II! from one face of which projects spaced parallel side walls l2 and 14. The base It! and side walls l2 and I4 are preferably constructed of a suitable non-conducting material, and the side walls are provided with aligned openings for the reception of a conductor bar [6 for the neutral phase of a three-phase electrical system. Opposite ends of the conductor bar It are provided with conventional couplings I8 by which conventional conductors may 1 Claim. (01. 200-45) be coupled to the bar. Extending transversely between the side walls 12 and I4, in spaced parallel relation to the conductor bar it), is a pivot shaft 26 upon which the rocker, to be more fully hereinafter described, is mounted.

Carried in suitable arcuate grooves 22 formed in the inner face of the wall M in concentric spaced relation to the pivot shaft 26 are arcuate conductors 24 and 26, each of which is provided with a conventional binding post 28 to which the conductors, to be more fully hereinafter described, are connected. As illustrated in Figures 3 and e, the arcuate contact bars 24 are located on opposite sides of the pivot shaft 20, and their inner faces are exposed for engagement by the conductor bars of the rocker, as will be more fully hereinafter explained.

Fitted in suitable recesses 38 formed in the side wall [2 and opening through the inner face thereof are pairs of spring contacts 32 and 34, each of which is provided With a binding post 36 which extends through the wall !2 and is provided with a conventional coupling 36 by means of which the conductors, to be more fully hereinafter described, are connected to the contacts. As illustrated, the contacts 32 are located on one side of the shaft 26 directl opposite the inner ends of the arcuate contacts 24 and 26, while the contacts 34 are located on the opposite side of the shaft 2!! and opposite the outer ends of the arcuate contacts 24 and 26. The contacts 32 are connected by a conductor 38 to form one pair of contacts and the contacts 34 are coupled by a conductor 49 to form the opposite pair of contacts.

Mounted for rocking movement on the shaft 20 adjacent opposite side walls l2 and i 4 are rock arms 42. As illustrated, these rock arms are mounted midway between opposite ends on theshaft 20, and extending transversely between the ends of the rock arms are conductor bars 44 and 46. As illustrated in Figure 3, the conductor bars extend through the rock arms 42, which are preferably formed of non-conducting material, and one end of the conductor bar 44 remains in constant contact with the arcuate contact 24, while the conductor bar 46 has one end in continuous contact with the arcuate contact 26. These bars together with the rock arms 42 form a rocker unit designated generally 48, and the ends of the bars 44 and 46 opposite those which engage the arcuate contacts 24 and 26 are adapted alternately to he moved into engagement with the contacts 32 and 34. It will be understood that when the conductor bar 46 engages the lower contact 34 of the pair of contacts nearer the end 3 of the wall l2, the conductor bar 44 will engage the top contact 32 of the innermost pair of contacts. Likewise when the rocker 48 is shifted about the pivot shaft 20, the conductor bar 44 will engage the top contact 34 of the pair of contacts nearer the end of the wall l2 and the end of the contact bar 46 will engage the bottom contact 32 of the pair of contacts spaced inwardly from the end of the wall l2.

In the preferredform of the invention, a suit able guide 50 is carried" by the base 10 between the walls l2 and I4 and is provided adjacent its upper end with a guide opening 52 through which slides a plunger 54. V plunger is pivotally connected, as at 55, to an upwardly extending arm 58 which iswelded or 0th erwise rigidly fixed to the bar 46, and 1316 01?! posite end of the plunger is equipped with a suitable handle 60 by means of which the plunger 54 may be moved to oscillate the rocker 48 about the shaft 20.

In use, the phase: changer 'iSyCQLlRlBd to a three-phasespower line, as illustr ted i Fi u e '7, with a conductor 62 lea in from neof conductors ofxthe power line to :t-he pair of-contacts 34 Aconductor 64 leads fromtheopposite phase of the pow-er line to the pairof contacts 32, and the neutral conductor Qiihfi nowenline may be directly conneotedto the load asillus trated in Figure '7', or may be, connected; tor-the load through, the bar 16. 'f-lghe binding post 28 of thearcuate contacts-2.4. isconnoo edto a c nductor which leads to. one brllfih 68 of. the load, while.arconductor lllieads from the binding poems of the arcuate contact fiito thebrush 12 of the load. With the rocker 4,8 n therpQsition illustratedzinlligure '1,- it Will hS-BVIQBIIL that-the p as 2 of th pow r lin w l b conducted. throu h e .upnercontact 32 toathe conductor bar 4.4: and th nc thr u h he ar uate c nta ts 241 0 the conductor .66; and to he-load. The phase I of e power. will :be conductedthr uen the conductor. .62; t; elower contact 3.4- and thence through conductor bar 46, ,to the; lowerarcuate contact 2.6 and through the. con-o ductor ,l'll to the load, Obviously, by shifting the; rocker 48' intoorthe full-line positionillustrated in Figures 1- and 2, the phase .I :from thepower line will be conducted through theupper contact 34,

One end .of the conductor-bars; to the arcuate contact 24; and 5!! theme through the conductor 66 to the load,

tion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to; without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

'Havingdescribed the invention, what is claimed as newois A phase changer comprising a base, a pair of spaced-parallel side walls of non-conducting material carried by the base, a pivot shaft carried by and extending between said side walls, a pair of arcuate contact bars mounted on the inner face of'one of the side; walls in concentric spaced relation to the pivot shaft, two pairs of spaced contacts on the inner face of the opposite side wall disposed inconcentric spaced relation about the pivot shaft, a rocker mounted intermediate its ends on the pivot shaft, a conductor bar carried by the rocker adjacent each end thereof,

,saidponductor barslying in spaced parallel relation tothe .pivot shaft, oneend of the conductor bar at one end of the rocker continuously contacting one larcuate contact, bar, one end of the conductor bar at the opposite end of the rocker continuously-contacting the other arcuate contact bar,;.,thev enclsof the conductor bars remote from he arouate contact bars selectively contacting one contactof eachpair of spacedcontacts, and a plun er rod slidably mounted on the base and having gonefend coupled to'the rocker manually to alter the position of the rocker.

EDWIN E. WADE.

CES CITED The following references. are; of record in the file of. this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name. Date. Batcheller V Apr. 8, 1947 Number. 

